A Franciscan, a Dominican, and a Jesuit were sitting in a room
when the lights went out. The Franciscan said, “My brothers, let us
take this opportunity to consider the debt we owe to our sister, the
light.” The Dominican said, “Yes, but let us also take this opportunity
to contemplate the difference between light and dark.” Meanwhile,
the Jesuit went to the basement, found the fuse box, and reset the
breaker.
The title of that Jesuit joke is POWER FAILURE. If you were at the
Jesuit Gala this past week, you would have heard Fr Jim Martin tell it
along with a few others.
Another one that you may have heard is the one about the Franciscan,
Dominican and Jesuit at the birth of Jesus. The Franciscan waxes
eloquent about the poverty of the stable. The Dominican is moved to
preach about the Incarnation and the Jesuit asks St Joseph whether
he has considered enrolling Jesus in a Jesuit school. Early
admissions.
All of the “jokes” are pretty much the same. The Franciscan is the
mystic. The Dominican the theologian and the Jesuit is well, the
Jesuit. Practical? Politic? Pragmatic?
If you imagine again that upper room “one week later” when the
disciples are gathered and with them a Franciscan, a Dominican and a
Jesuit, how would each respond to the appearance of the Risen Lord?
The Franciscan, the mystic would see the wounds of Jesus, feel them
in his own body, like Francis himself who received the stigmata (the
wounds). The Franciscan would leave the room and find the most
wounded person on the streets and kiss his/her wounds as Francis
himself did to the leper.
The Dominican would be caught up in the mystery of death and
resurrection, reflecting on the theological meaning of the bodily
resurrection. Like the great Dominican Thomas Aquinas, he would
immediately begin thinking as a great theologian would. To quote
Aquinas:
In the next place we must consider things connected with and accompanying
the resurrection. Of these the first to be considered will be the resurrection
itself; the second will be the cause of the resurrection; the third its time and
manner. the fourth its term "wherefrom"; the fifth the condition of those who
rise again.
And then this Dominican would leave the upper room and go about
preaching the truth of the Resurrection and refuting anyone who held
a contrary opinion.
And the Jesuit? The pragmatist? After weeping uncontrollably at the
realization that the Risen Lord Jesus is really there in their midst, he
would enter into a Colloquy, that is a conversation between two
friends. He would begin to ask the Lord, “what can I do for you?” Will
you show me how to find you “in all things”? And the Jesuit would
leave the room and draw up a strategic plan, a “how-to” manual of
finding God in all things.
Thomas in today’s Gospel would have made a good Jesuit if we agree
with the stereotype of the Jesuit. He’s the one who wants proof. He
wants not only to see the Risen Jesus but wants some “hands on”
experience. He wants to touch the wounds. He wants to put his
fingers in the nail marks and his hand in the side of Jesus. He wants
evidence. He is the ultimate pragmatist. But he’s also the one when he
sees the Risen Lord he surrenders. Along with My Lord and My God I
can hear Thomas saying “Give me only your love and your grace,
that’s enough for me”
And which one of these three are you when it comes to Easter?
Franciscan, Dominican, Jesuit? Mystic, Theologian, Pragmatist? How
do you enter into this experience of the Resurrected Jesus coming
into this place today and saying to each of us, “I am. It is I. Peace be
with you! Are you enraptured by the image of the Risen Lord,
showing you his wounds? Are you intellectually captivated by
questions of Resurrection? Are you a little skeptical about the whole
thing and in need of some “evidence” but at least hopeful that the
Lord will show himself to you? And when he does, will you say “Take
Lord, Receive”
If you’re asking yourself, where did this homily come from? It didn’t
come from Jim Martin’s Jesuit jokes. It came from a photograph the
whole world seems to have seen. It came from the image of the Jesuit
Pope named Francis, cradling a boy from Rhode island in his arms, a
boy whose name is Dominic. A Jesuit Pope named Francis, cradling a
boy named Dominic in his arms. Mystic, theologian, pragmatist,
holding the wounds of Jesus in his arms, preaching by example,
inviting us all to say “give me only your love and your grace” That’s
enough for me.